Health and Safety Podcast Transcript: July 10, 2013

Hello, and welcome to the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast for
July 10, 2013. Coming up, learn about lightning safety, summer vacation
tips, hurricane season and flood insurance, emergency plans and
presentations, and staying cool in the summer heat. Links to topics
mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.

To be safe from dangerous lightning follow this simple rule: When
thunder roars, go indoors. Lightning kills an average of 55-60 people a
year in the U.S. Although 90 percent of those who are struck survive,
they often have permanent neurological disabilities. Eighty percent of
lightning fatalities occur among men fishing, boating, golfing, biking or
working outdoors. To be safe remember the 30/30 rule: If you see
lightning and cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder, lightning is
close enough to strike you. Immediately move to safe shelter or an
enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with windows up and stay there at least 30
minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.

Many of us take vacations or short trips during the summer. Here are a
couple of quick tips from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) to help ensure your safety while on the road.

Fill up your gas tank. I like to keep at least a quarter tank at all
times.

Now that hurricane season is underway, consider getting flood
insurance. Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.
Since inland flooding is often a problem, a direct hit from a hurricane
isn’t necessary for there to be extensive damage. Get free info at www.floodsmart.gov or call
1-888-379-9531. Plan ahead as coverage usually takes 30 days before it
goes into effect.

The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management is available to
deliver emergency preparedness presentations to community organizations
and homeowners associations. If interested, contact the emergency
management office at 571-350-1000, or via email at oem@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Summertime is here … and so is the heat. Remember to stay hydrated.
Drink plenty of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty. You’ll want to
drink two to four cups of water every hour when you’re exercising or
working outdoors. And remember to avoid alcohol and drinks that contain a
large amount of sugar.

And speaking of heat, never leave children alone in a vehicle — not even
for a minute!

Some may think it’s okay to leave children in cars to run a quick errand
with the window cracked open, but it is not. The Kids and Cars organization reports
that since 1998, an average of 38 children die every year from vehicular
heat stroke — that’s one every nine days. Let’s be vigilant this summer —
actually every day of the year — and remember to look before we lock our
cars to ensure we haven’t left anyone behind in the heat.

Finally, the Fairfax County NewsWire is your comprehensive county news
source, offering the news that's important to you and your community.
NewsWire is available in multiple formats, such as Twitter, email and
RSS, for your convenience. Learn more and subscribe at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/subscribe.
And be sure to subscribe by RSS or email to the emergency information
blog at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/blog.

That’s it for this edition of the Fairfax County Health and Safety
Podcast, produced by the Fairfax County, Va., Government. Thanks for
listening. Additional information about health and safety topics and
emergency preparedness may be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov. And remember, if you have
a police, fire or medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency needs,
call 703-691-2131.